Hey everyone! My name is Ashley aka @PikAshChu on Instagram! I’m a foodie living in the Twin Cities, who is absolutely obsessed with the Minnesota State Fair – so you can imagine how excited I was when Madison asked me to guest write about it! The Fair is one of my favorite times of the year and I have been going every year for as long as I can remember. I also always go at least 3x because I believe that you can’t eat everything in just one day.
There are classics at the Minnesota State Fair that almost every fair-goer gets such as Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar, Corn Roast, Fresh French Fries, Mouth Trap, Preferred Pickle, and many more. You really can’t go wrong with these and they’ll most likely never disappoint you. However, on top of devouring all of these every year, I always make it a priority to try new food items as well. Here are my top five new foods/drinks to get at the Fair this year:
- Maple Cream Nitro Cold Press Coffee (Farmers Union Coffee Shop)
* Locally sourced heavy cream and maple syrup in a cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen
This was so creamy and so delicious! It’s the perfect way to start your day especially if you like going to the fair early in the morning but your mind is just a bit slow to catch up with the rest of your body. At $6.50 (for a small) this may seem pricey, but I can promise you it’s worth it!
- Duck Bacon Wontons (Giggle’s Campfire Grill)
* Duck bacon, grilled sweet corn, and cream cheese combined inside a deep-fried crescent-shaped wonton and served with dipping sauce
To be honest, I didn’t think I would like this because I’m not big on cream cheese and meat together. However, the flavors meshed together really well and nothing was overwhelming. It’s good with or without the dipping sauce that comes with!
- Giant Egg Roll On-A-Stick & Garlic Cream Cheese Wontons (Que Viet)
The Giant Egg Rolls (which contain pork) are HUGE yet still crunchy. It’s also on a stick – which you think would get messy but I surprisingly ate it without dropping any pieces, hallelujah! The Garlic Cream Cheese Wontons are crispy and the wonton wrapper isn’t chewy. I suggest getting the combo which includes one Giant Egg Roll On-A-Stick, four Garlic Cream Cheese Wontons, and either Vietnamese Iced Coffee or Bubble Tea (choice of mango or strawberry). It’s only $14 and probably the best bang for your buck at the Fair!
- Triple Truffle Trotters (The Blue Barn)
* Sliced peppers and bacon with black diamond truffle oil mayo on top of waffle fries
Did someone say Truffle? I AM THERE. There have been mixed reviews about this food item and I think it’s the mayo that throws people off. However, that’s where all of the truffle is so don’t pass on it! The only thing I would say about this item is that the name is a bit misleading. When it said “Triple Truffle”, I was expecting the truffle to be more incorporated in the dish and not just in the mayo. I still thoroughly enjoyed this dish, nonetheless.
- Pizzarito (Green Mill)
* A flour tortilla filled with pepperoni, Italian sausage, risotto, mozzarella and marinara, coated with garlic butter, parmesan and Italian spices, baked and served with a side of marinara.
The pizzarito was so flavorful and the tortilla wasn’t chewy. I loved the risotto mixed in with the meat to give it texture. Portion size was good for one person but also enough to split with someone else (especially if you’re planning on devouring a lot of other foods). It’s one of the cheapest new food items at the Fair this year and for only $5, you really can’t go wrong.
I hope you all found this guide useful and that you’ll try out these new items if you haven’t already!
With love, Ashley (aka @PikAshChu on Instagram)
